Listing your property through the Integri-T Building Quality Guarantee Plan provides you with several benefits. Complete your transaction without worrying about the consequences of any hidden defect claims.
PROGRAM
Sellers benefit, among others, from :
- Building inspection by a qualified technologist
- Sale process with an unparallelled and distinctive advantage
- Prompt reconciliation service at no cost should your buyers file a claim.
- A reduction of up to $35,000 on your financial obligations.
Complete your transaction without worrying about the consequences of any hidden defect claims.
Integri-T is a guarantee that brings peace of mind to both sellers and buyers should any hidden defect be discovered.
Oftentimes, owners who had never noticed any defects on their property, even after living there for years, have to address claims from buyers complaining about such defects.
Situations where the Integri-T Guarantee Plan pays off:
- Your property shows signs of wear and tear that could scare off potential buyers.
- You’re looking for a way to make your property stand out from others.
- You’re worried about dealing with a potential legal action for hidden defects or would not be able to do so.
- You’re considering selling your property without a legal guarantee. A study conducted by JLR Real Estate in 2015 revealed that selling without a legal guarantee earns the seller 8% less. This amounts to $16,000 for a $200,000 building. That’s a high price to pay to avoid paying for protection against legal action. The Integri-T Guarantee will help you worry less at a far lower price.
COVERAGE
Amount
The coverage amounts to a total of $40,000.
Under the guarantee plan, buyers are fully protected for up to $40,000. After compensating the buyers, the plan will claim a payment of up to $5,000 from the sellers. Any amount in excess of $5,000 that is paid under the plan will be considered as normal business risk.
In short, the guarantee plan takes on a financial risk of up to $35,000.
Term and items covered
The coverage period is one year following the signature of the deed of sale. It extends to three (3) years for major defects.
With the exception of heat pumps, coverage excludes any items that are not an integral part of the main building. See the full text of the guarantee for more details.
Items covered include:
- Attic, insulation
- Foundation, walls, roof
- Siding, sub-floor
- Electricals, plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning
- Doors and windows
- Water infiltration, mould, premature wear on materials
- Heat pumps
ELIGIBILTY
The following are included in the Integri-T Building Quality Guarantee Plan:
All buildings used exclusively for residential purposes are eligible.
- Single-family properties
- Plexes with 2 to 5 units
- Condominiums – private portions only
Vacant properties are also eligible, if they are properly maintained.
The following properties are excluded from the plan:
- New residential buildings (5 years or less) already covered by a guarantee plan
- Commercial buildings
- Foreclosed properties
- Buildings listed without a legal guarantee
Fees
The Integri-T Guarantee Plan is offered to selling owners at a minimal cost. You will have to make the two (2) following payments:
- An initial $350 payment to cover the fees and travel expenses of the technologist who will visit your property.
- A second instalment of at least $750, payable upon the delivery of the guarantee certificate, at the notary office.
These amounts may be higher, depending on the selling price and type of building. Our fee schedule can be provided by your agent or our customer service department. These fees are subject to change without prior notice.
SELLER
Think of the impact this will have on potential buyers!
Since the Integri-T Guarantee Plan against hidden defects will reassure buyers, your property will benefit from a distinctive market advantage and attract enthusiastic buyers, which is of course what you want!
- Your GUARANTEED property will attract serious buyers more quickly.
- Potential buyers will trust this guarantee and favour your property.
- Potential buyers will offer you a fair price
- Your final buyer will benefit from a coverage of up to $40,000.
- The inspection to confirm your eligibility will also enable you to make all the necessary repairs or improvements to your property.
You will be issued a certificate confirming your registration to this program once your property has been inspected for eligibility. Your 12-month registration enables your agent to advertise your property as benefitting from said guarantee.
A better option than selling without any legal guarantee
If you’re considering selling your property without a legal guarantee and the ensuing coverage in case of legal action, you should know that such a listing will earn you 8% less revenue, according to a study conducted by research firm JLR Real Estate. This amounts to $16,000 for a $200,000 building. That’s a high price to pay to avoid paying for protection against legal action. The Integri-T Guarantee will help you worry less at a far lower price.
The Integri-T Guarantee presents you with an alternative to foregoing a legal guarantee to limit your obligations and avoid selling for less. Many buyers refuse to even consider properties listed without any legal guarantee, and those who do usually end up offering far less.
Protect yourself
You’ll reduce your seller obligation from $40,000 to $5,000, as the guarantee plan covers financial risks up to $35,000.
BUYER
An unparallelled protection
Most hidden defects are discovered during the first year following the purchase. Should such a defect be found on the property during that period, the buyer could claim repair costs up to $40,000.
In the case of major hidden defects, the coverage period extends from one (1) year to three (3) years.
The parties involved benefit from a $40,000 coverage and buyers don’t have to worry about paying any fees related to the guarantee plan.
Should a defect be discovered, the claims process is taken care of:
- A technologist will handle the reconciliation process to help the parties involved avoid legal action, or paying legal costs and expert fees.
- You’ll thereby avoid finding yourself engaged in a legal action with no favourable outcome.
- Should any repairs be needed, they will be coordinated and made by accredited specialists.
Notice to buyers: The inspection to confirm eligibility conducted by the Integri-T Guarantee Plan’s technologist doesn’t replace an inspection conducted by a building inspector, as it is not the same process. As a result, we strongly recommend that you have your entire property checked by an independent building inspector of your choice, who complies with all standards of practice and carries professional liability insurance against faults, errors and omissions.
CLAIM
Reconciliation
Should all processes to avoid a claim from your buyers fail, said claim will be submitted to the Integri-T Guarantee Plan’s reconciliation service, instead of being brought before the courts.
This alternative solution, to which buyers agree when the promise to purchase is signed, will help the parties involved avoid any legal and expert fees.
A technologist specializing in reconciliation will visit the property to listen to the seller and buyer, assess the alleged defects and manage the claim. Said claim will then be analyzed, as it would before a court. This protects the seller from a buyer that may be trying to exploit the situation.
This will save the parties involved from finding themselves engaged in legal action without a favourable outcome. Except in very rare cases, reconciliations are decisive and conclude with a report, saving everyone time and money.
Contact
Buyers seeking to file a claim must immediately call 1 800 956-7526 or send an email at garantiehabitation@prov.acq.org. Their claim will then be managed by the plan.
The claim will quickly be assigned to a reconciliation expert who is also a member of the Ordre des technologues professionnels du Québec.
The reconciliation expert’s mandate is to assess both parties’ testimonies, as well as conduct any investigation or inspection deemed necessary to determine the claim’s validity and the nature of any repairs required. To do so, said expert must be granted unrestricted access to the property.
A $200 fee will be charged to the buyer, to be refunded should the claim be found valid.
RE/MAX partners with the Association de la Construction du Québec (ACQ) to offer the Integri-T Guarantee Plan. As of 2016, their guarantee division has managed over 300,000 plans since 1994. Garantie Habitation specializes in building quality control, risk management and reconciliation.
